Csornay Boldizsár - Hubai Péter szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 96. (Budapest, 2002)

KOVÁCS, ZOLTÁN: A New Representation of the Salvator Mundi from the workshop of Quentin Massys

35. Detail of fig. 32, macro detail showing Christ's garment details of the composition from this underdrawing, which gradually disappeared as the work progressed and multiple layers of paint were added. This technique suggests that the master of the painting was steady-handed and well-trained and supports the idea that the composition is original. There are a number of features that are highly unusual among known Netherlandish representations of the Salvator Mundi. Such devices include the body of Christ cropped at the knees, the presence of the smaller sphere inside the crystal globe, and the relatively large dimensions of the panel. However, in view of the evidence provided by the technical examinations, there is no reason to suppose that the present panel had originally been a full-length representation that was trimmed at a later date. ORIGINAL COMPOSITION OR REPLICA? A painting that might seem at first sight to be identical to our picture was offered for sale as part of Pietro Foresti de Carpi's collection at the Lino Pesaro auctions house of Milan, 12 through 17 May 1913, as lot 35 (fig. 37).

6 However, a close look at the 6 The catalogue entry reads as follows: "Q. Metzys (1450-1529): Salvator Mundi, belle er vive peinture sur bois, cadre doré; m. 1.26 x 0.88 (Planche X)." Catalogue de la Galerie et du Musée appartenants à Mr le Chevalier P. Foresti de Carpi, Milan 1913, 15, Nr. 35.